Over the next few hours, Nolan threw himself into whatever needed doing. Carrying the wounded to shelter. Dragging salvageable supplies out of half-collapsed houses into ones that still had a roof. Consolidating what little food and water they could find. Moving blankets, tools, anything that wasn't burned or broken beyond use.
Before he knew it, the sun was sinking toward the horizon.
'Man, am I hungry.'
His stomach growled at him like it was filing a formal complaint. He set down a bag full of a villager's belongings and leaned against a doorframe, catching his breath.
He looked over his shoulder.
The princess was across the clearing, commanding the villagers with a calm authority that didn't match someone who'd nearly been killed by goblins a few hours ago. She directed people by giving clear instruction to those that were able to help.'
He watched her for a moment longer than necessary, his eyes gawking at her. Especially ever since she'd had her armor taken off at some point. Without it, she wore a simple long-sleeved shirt and pants, and the figure that the armor had been hiding was well…
'To die for...'
Long legs that created a kind of frame that belonged on a runway and not a battlefield. Her chest, no longer buried under plate metal, was very much visible beneath the fitted shirt. And her hair, once in a bun, is now free as it was put into a high ponytail that swayed in the breeze as she turned to help another villager.
'Stop staring Nolan, she's going to kill you if you keep at it.'
He shook his head as he turned to look away.
'Well Maybe I want her to kill me.' Nolan had a dreamy look on his face as he fantasized about the princess treating him…roughly.
Delusional Nolan walks on over to the princess as he tries to wipe his stupid look off his face but…
"You're thinking something stupid aren't you?" The princess seeing Nolan dumbass look can't help but comment.
"What. no I wasn't, I was just thinking how hungry I am." Nolan nods as if he was trying to agree with himself.
Shaking her head the princess ignores his antics. "Whatever it's fine if you're a bit of a dumb ball we still need those in society."
"Hey what do you mean by I'm a bit of a dumb ball?"
"Really do I have to explain." The princess looks at him, giving him a dead pan stared.
"Ouch that really hurts you know to be told by such a beautiful princess as yourself that i'm dumb. It brings a tear to my eye." Nolan wipes off the fake tears from his eyes as he acts hurt from the princess's words.
"Oh, stop the facade, you tailless monkey." The princess folded her arms. "Don't act like you weren't staring the moment my armor came off."
Her tone was defensive but the smirk on her face was anything but.
"Tailless monkey…Y-You can't call me that. That's umm… xenophobic?" He looks at the princess with a questioning look on his face.
She rolls her eyes. "Yes technically xenophobic but that's beside the point you were the one that couldn't look away at me. So don't change the subject." She points her finger at Nolan confronting him.
"Hey it's not my fault that the princess of my dreams is hot." Nolan says rather matter of fact trying to shift the blame on her.
By calling her hot…
"..."
The princess' face goes a bit red hearing his words as she turns away.
"Well I do have some charm don't I…"
"That you do." Nolan can't help but agree as he sneaks a look at her boobs.
"Hey I saw that." The princess walks up and lightly smacks his chest.
"Ow what I do?" Nolan pleads.
"You know what you did." The princess crosses her arms over her chest blocking them from the pervert's view.
"Fine fine I'll adverts my eyes around you then princess geez." Nolan rubs his chest pretending it hurts.
"And stop calling me princess, my name Lyris." Lyris looks at Nolan, her blue eyes shining as they look at him.
"Of course princess, I'll call you Lyris from now on. As long as the princess doesn't mind it." He says with a joking look on his face.
"Stop calling me princess and maybe I'll let you look at me from a far you tailless monkey."
"Hey you can't call me that we already went over this and of course Lyris I will never call you princess ever again. And so you don't mistake my name for tailless monkey, my name is Nolan."
"Well then, Nolan. It seems we have a deal." Lyris held out her hand. "You call me Lyris. I call you Nolan. No princess, no tailless monkey."
"Of course, Lyris." Nolan took her hand and —
'You know what, it would be funny if I…'
Instead of shaking it, he lowered himself like a knight before a queen. One knee down, head bowed, her hand held gently in his. He pressed a kiss to the top of her knuckles.
"Most beautiful Lyris, I, Nolan, agree to such a proposal."
He looked up, expecting a smack or even a blush. Perhaps both.
Instead, Lyris looked down at him with an expression he hadn't seen before. Her chin raised and eyes half-lidded. The faintest curve of a smile on her lips not from embarrassment but from imperial.
"Then rise, Nolan." Her voice dropped into something smooth and regal, dripping with authority. "And be grateful your queen is feeling merciful today."
Nolan's brain stopped working.
'…Oh no. She's into it.'
Nolan stood up slowly with his mouth slightly open, the words he was going to say stuck on his tongue.
"Dinner's ready!" A voice cut through the moment like a bucket of cold water.
"Well then my Queen Lyris it seems I will have to go. Toodles." Quick to leave Nolan stampers away before Lyris can make him do her bidding.
'Though that wouldn't be awful…'
Stepping into line Nolan tries to ignore his inner thoughts but one thing remains.
'I just kissed a girl and I like it. I sure hope her fiance don't mind it.' Parodying a famous song in his head, Nolan misses the muttered words of Lyris.
"My lips would have been more appropriate, at least then the debt wouldn't be so much…"